Belcher Just Keeps Working at It

Tim Belcher did his normal between-starts workout Wednesday under the watchful eyes of pitching coach Dick Pole and bullpen coach Joe Coleman. There were no major revelations, no big breakthroughs.

“The only thing to work out is I need to throw better pitches,” said Belcher, who is struggling with a 1-2 record and 9.96 earned-run average in six starts.

“I need to get a couple of good games under my belt before confidence becomes a problem. I don’t think it will, but you can’t go this bad for this long without it bothering you a bit.”

Belcher has never been one to shy away from criticism or reporters’ probing questions, but when it comes to his performance in the fifth inning this season, he would love to take the Fifth.

In four of his six starts, Belcher has given up three runs or more in the fifth inning, including five to Chicago on Monday and six to Toronto last Wednesday. In one other start, Belcher didn’t even make it to the fifth.

His games have developed a distinct pattern--the right-hander pitches well for a few innings, then implodes in the fifth, when batters are facing him for the second, and sometimes third, time in the game.

“I can’t try to reinvent the wheel just because guys are up there the second time,” Belcher said. “I’ve just got to keep making pitches and pay more attention to keeping a consistent arm angle.”

And remain confident. So far, that hasn’t been a problem.

“The closer I get to pitching day,” Belcher said, “the more excited I get.”

*

With Mo Vaughn back at first base Wednesday night, Darin Erstad returned to left field for the first time since April 6, and it was as if he hardly left. Erstad made a spectacular diving catch of Tony Clark’s drive to the gap to end the fourth inning.

“When you’re not swinging the bat well, any time you can make a defensive play to help the team, that’s good,” Erstad said. “That’s important to me.”

So are significant offensive contributions, and Manager Terry Collins made a change he hopes will spark Erstad, moving him back to his customary leadoff spot after batting him fifth in five of the previous six games.

Erstad was hitless in his first three at-bats before smashing a two-run homer into the right-field upper deck off reliever Matt Anderson to give the Angels two runs in the eighth.

“Whatever makes Darin comfortable we’re going to do, because we’ve got to get him going offensively,” Collins said. “He carried us in the first half last season.”

Erstad hit .313, with 18 home runs and 59 runs batted in, in the first half of 1998 but has been muddling through 1999. He’s now batting .248 with three homers and 11 RBIs.

“It’s a crazy game--who knows what I’m going through now?” Erstad said. “Last year, everything fell for me in the first half. Now, I’m hitting it right at guys when I hit the ball hard. But I don’t feel pressure. I still believe in myself.”

*

Right fielder Tim Salmon’s sprained left wrist was still stiff and sore Wednesday, but he was able to move it a little more than he could Tuesday, so he considered that progress. Salmon played catch before the game but was unable to swing a bat, and he is not expected to play tonight. . . . Catcher Todd Greene’s appeal of a three-game suspension for charging the mound against Seattle on April 18 is scheduled for Tuesday in New York, but Greene is trying to have the hearing pushed back to Thursday. That way, if the suspension is upheld, Greene will be able to play in two of the three games against the Yankees next week.

TODAY

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY (1-2, 6.16 ERA)

vs.

TIGERS’ BRYCE FLORIE (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Tiger Stadium, Detroit, 4 PDT

Radio--KIK-FM (94.3), XPRS (1090)

* Update--Florie, a right-hander who went 8-9 with a 4.80 ERA last season, will be activated from the disabled list to make his first start of the season. Florie has been sidelined because of a right shoulder strain. Tiger shortstop Deivi Cruz, hit on the left elbow by a Ken Hill pitch Tuesday night, did not play Wednesday, and he is not expected to play tonight. Finley has pitched well in his last two starts, giving up six earned runs and 13 hits in 13 2/3 innings, but came away with two no-decisions.